Nelnet donates 3D printers to Sidney Public Schools

SIDNEY, NE — Sidney Public Schools' STEM program is getting new equipment thanks to a Nebraska-based company.

Nelnet is giving the school district 10 3D printers along with filament and other supplies for the machines.

They presented the printers to the school during Monday night's school board meeting.

Nelnet Development Manager Cory Keen says the donation lines up with the company's core value of giving back to the communities they live in.

The printers will help students learn STEM skills starting at the fifth grade level.

"In order for the students to enjoy it, get good at it and practice CAD —Computer Aided Design— and coding and the things that come along with it, which is the learning part of 3D printers, you have to have some quantities there because it takes time," Keen said.

Three of the printers will go to West Elementary for the 5th and 6th graders, three will go to the middle school and four will go to the high school.

This move also lines up with another notice from the company.

Nelnet announced they are opening a physical office location in Sidney. The company recently signed a lease on a space and hope to be moved in in the spring after restoration work is complete. Keen will run the Sidney office.

The company currently has 14 employees in the Sidney area and is looking to hire more. 

"There's a lot of good talent here... we're definitely looking to expand. We have the room and we have the talent," Keen said.